


A Different Kind of Love

by maliayukimura



Series: Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Malia Tate, Declarations Of Love, F/F, Femslash February, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5925826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maliayukimura/pseuds/maliayukimura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I do love you,” she said, a pained expression on her face. “Just not in the way you want me to.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Different Kind of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: malydia+aro!malia+"I love you"
> 
> Sidenote, I am aromantic, and I based Malia's responses and her and Malia's relationship off of my own life experiences and a past relationship of my own.

“So how does it feel to know that your girlfriend doesn’t even love you?” an obnoxious voice called out.

Lydia paid no attention to it. She knew it was that guy he had turned down a few weeks ago. He was just trying to get a rise out of her, and Lydia wasn’t going to let him have the satisfaction.

Clearly upset that Lydia was ignoring him, the guy repeated louder, “I said, how does it feel to know that your girlfriend doesn’t even love you?”

Lydia rolled her eye but didn’t respond.

The guy took that as a sign to continue, “She must be great in bed for you to put on that. I could never be with–”

Lydia had finally had enough. She slammed her book shut as she glared angrily at him. “At least I have a girlfriend,” she snapped. “All you have is your left hand.”

The guy paled, suddenly unable to speak. Lydia smirked, knowing that she had won that argument, before she got up and left the library.

There was no way Lydia could study when she was so angry. That gut had no right to say those things to her. How dare he tell her about her relationship with Malia; he had no idea what their relationship was like.

Lydia decided to walk around campus for a little bit to try to calm down. By the time she got to back to her dorm room, Lydia was still mad but not nearly as angry as she had originally been.

Malia, her girlfriend and roommate, was sitting cross-legged on the bed, drawing in her sketchbook. Pop punk music played softly on the stereo.

Lydia watched as Malia chewed on the end of her pencil while staring at her work, trying to figure out what in the sketch needed some work. After fondly watching her girlfriend for a few minutes, Lydia sighed and walked over and sat down beside her.

Malia looked and smiled at her girlfriend. The smile quickly faded when she realized that Lydia was upset. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, eyes narrowing as she tried to find a problem.

“It’s nothing – just some guy down at the library,” Lydia answered quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She always did that when she felt vulnerable.

“Do you want to beat him up?” Malia asked, willing to do anything to keep her girlfriend happy. “I could probably take him.”

“No, you don’t need to do that. He just said some things, that’s all,” Lydia explained. “He was an ass, no big deal.”

“If it’s no big deal, then why are you upset?” Malia asked gently, trying to get Lydia to open up.

Lydia pulled her knees up to her chest defensively. “He asked me how it felt to know that my girlfriend didn’t love me.”

The sad look on Lydia’s face broke Malia’s heart. She reached out to comfort her. “I do love you,” she said, a pained expression on her face. “Just not in the way you want me to.”

Lydia looked up at Malia, tears welling in her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I care about you, Lydia,” Malia explained as she reached up and wiped away a stray tear rolling down her boyfriend’s cheek. “You’re my best friend; of course, I love you. I love you like I love my sister or how I love Scott or Allison or Kira or any of our friends. It may not be romantic, but it’s still love. I love spending time with you and being with you. I do love you, but I’m just not in love with you the way you want me to be. I hope you can understand.”

Lydia smiled sadly at Malia, feeling much better about where they stood in the relationship after Malia’s speech. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard,” she said. “Who would have thought that it’d come from my aromantic girlfriend?”

“I’ve seen a lot of romantic comedies since we’ve started dating,” Malia joked.

Lydia laughed, smiling a genuine smile this time. “I love you,” she said.

“I know,” Malia replied. “And you know how I feel.”

“You love me, platonically – not romantically,” Lydia answered.

Malia nodded. “Yeah.”

Lydia leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s different, but a good different.”

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of [a prompt](http://maliayukimura.tumblr.com/post/139027436143/malydia-i-love-you-or-malydia) that an anon sent me on tumblr.  
> For Malia Tate square on my Teen Wolf Bingo card.  
> For Twefemslashficrec's 2016 Femslash February Challege's prompt: relationship ft. an explicitly ace or aro character
> 
> Come find me on tumblr [here](http://www.maliayukimura.tumblr.com)


End file.
